Coalition Launches Diversity Initiatives For Film Biz: “If They Want Our Business, They Have To Include Us”

The Multi-Ethnic Media Coalition has launched an initiative to diversify the film industry, much, as it claims, it helped diversify the TV industry. The group — comprised of the NAACP, the Asian Pacific American Media Coalition, the Media Action Network for Asian Americans, American Indians in Film & Television and National Hispanic Media Coalition — said during a press conference today in Pasadena that it intends to make its case in meetings with reps from the six major studios: Fox, Universal, Disney, Sony, Paramount and Warner Bros.

“They may not welcome us,” Alex Nogales, president and CEO of the NHMC, said of the studio bosses, “but we don’t care. This is a business. If they want our business, they have to include us.”

Nogales said the coalition has not formally met with studio reps, but in informal settings, he said they have been “patronizing.” He added, “They are willing to say the right things, but when you walk out of the room, nothing happens.”

The coalition already meets with network executives, collects data and issues annual report cards on minority hiring in the TV industry. Guy Aoki, founding president of Media Action Network for Asian Americans, said he hopes the film industry will be as receptive to the coalition’s input as the TV industry has, noting the strides Asian-American actors have been making on the small screen.

The NAACP is also part of the coalition but did not have a rep at today’s presser as it is prepping for its annual Image Awards gala Friday night.

“Clearly, changes in the makeup of the voting members of the Academy address only part of the problem,” said Pacific American Media Coalition co-chair Daniel Mayeda about the film Academy’s recent push to diversify. “First, actors of color are too often deprived of roles that are written as ethnically specific, or that are based on real people of color.”

He noted that Jennifer Connolly won an Oscar for A Beautiful Mind for her portrayal of a woman who in real life was from El Salvador. “That was an Oscar-worthy role,” he said, “and it should have gone to a Latina actress.” He also pointed out that Ben Affleck, who directed the Oscar-winning Argo, could have cast a Latino to play the leading role of Tony Mendez, but “instead he took the part himself.” He also criticized the casting of Emma Stone to play a half-Hawaiian/Chinese American character last year in Aloha.

“Unfortunately, these are not isolated instances,” he said. “It is a fact that twice as many white actresses have won Oscars playing Asian characters, as Asian American actresses have won playing Asian characters. This whitewashing must stop.”

“We’re not asking for charity,” he told reporters. “We’re saying that the film studios need to catch up to the new global realities. America is changing. Its diverse audiences yearn to see movies that reflect themselves and the changing world around them.”

“The Academy can only vote on works that the movie studios decide to make,” said Daniel Mayeda, co-chair at the Asian Pacific American Media Coalition. “Most of the people who have the power to greenlight films are white. And despite data that proves otherwise, they insist that projects which feature minority casts won’t do well at the box office. Even when making films based on true stories, they often change the characters’ ethnicity to white.”

All agreed that diversity on screen would increase box office receipts for the studios. “It’s not good business to produce films and TV shows that don’t reflect the market,” said UCLA professor Darnell Hunt, whose latest annual report on African Americans in the film industry will be released soon.

Added Sonny Skyhawk, a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and founder of American Indians in Film & Television: “Telling a wider spectrum of stories with more representative faces is good for business. It’s really that simple…It is only when each and every child in this country and beyond can go to the movies and see themselves represented on screen that the industry will have fully realized its financial potential and fulfilled its moral mandate to tell stories that cover the entire human family. Boldness and bravery are required now.”

13 Comments

I think this coalition makes total sense, esp. when it comes to casting.

Anonymous • on Feb 4, 2016 2:43 pm

Big budget blockbuster movies are diverse. TV/streaming is diverse too. The only “problem” is in the Oscar-bait sort of movie, designed for the purpose of getting Oscars votes. Who really cares about that anyway?

Mt. • on Feb 4, 2016 3:54 pm

“Who really cares about that anyway?”

All the white people running Gold Derby, Awards Watch, Awards Daily, Vegas and European betting sites, and distribution studios spend during award season to push for guilds and Oscar nominations?

The people (including white) who watch and hear about the nominated movies from Autumn to April, while paying to see the hyped movies?

Gary • on Feb 4, 2016 3:01 pm

Are they really trying to take a page out of Al Sharpton’s playbook?

AJ123 • on Feb 4, 2016 4:41 pm

Yeah right!! I bet the first acting roles given will be to these men in the photo. They don’t care about other performer’s because they’re the competition. Sonny Skyhawk keeps spouting this American Indian group, but there is no other performer’s in it but him. Hollywood is rat race because we’ll hear about the auditions when they’re over, but I bet these guys will get to the audition first. I’d rather go with my agent & keep auditioning. No one is gonna help me but me. Hollywood fact 101.

Marsha-Marsha-Marsha • on Feb 4, 2016 6:03 pm

The men in the photo are not actors.

Sonny Skyhawk • on Feb 5, 2016 12:35 pm

First of all AJ 123, you seem quite happy to hide behind a number, which is not the case of the people represented in the article. As for Sonny Skyhawk and the membership of AIFT, I will only say this. They do not publish the members names any more than the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences does. But then again, we don’t enjoy the same dignity you do by hiding under a rock.

AJ123 • on Feb 6, 2016 11:18 am

I don’t hide under a rock because AJ is my name you bozo. I’m out there auditioning and looking for work in this industry. Who said Hollywood is fair? Who said life is fair? Everyone knows it is a tough business.

What I hear about you Skyhawk is that you bully Indie producers so you can get onto a western film. You don’t think about other performers. Also, I heard you were ousted as the Native SAG President because you tried to use names illegally on a project. What about that?

And since you brought up the Academy members. Everyone knows who is a member because they’re invited by the Academy each year. All their names are published in the media. They couldn’t hide membership status if they wanted to. – AJ

SueH • on Feb 6, 2016 9:18 pm

Agreed. Sonny Skyhawk was Sonny Roubidoux back in the days00his mother’s last name was Roubidoux and he’s from Nebraska. The name Charles Brito was associated with him. And AIFF is pretty much a one-man show.

P Trynor • on Feb 6, 2016 9:25 pm

Agreed. Skyhawk was Sonny Roubidoux back in the days. His mother’s name was Josephine Roubidoux and he was born in Nebraska. Somewhere he used the name Charles Brito. The AIFT is pretty much a one -man show. He was invited last year as a Academy member because of his minor acting credits and he got two people to sponsor him.

P Trynor • on Feb 6, 2016 9:26 pm

Skyhawk was Sonny Roubidoux back in the days. His mother’s name was Josephine Roubidoux and he was born in Nebraska. Somewhere he used the name Charles Brito. The AIFT is pretty much a one -man show. He was invited last year as a Academy member because of his minor acting credits and he got two people to sponsor him.